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  Fairychamber - Art and Illustrations by Niina Niskanen
  • Home
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    • Blog
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  • Kauppa
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Little Women: The official movie companion

12/9/2019

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Susan from Louisa May Alcott is my passion- blog asked me to review the Little Women 2019 movie companion.  I thought I would share my thoughts here as well.  
The premiere of the new Little Women feature film is approaching and recently a movie companion written by Gina McIntyre was released with beautiful photographs taken from the set by Wilson Webb. The book includes interviews from the cast, director, set designers, choreographers, and clothing department. Readers will learn about the history that led to Louisa May Alcott´s classic, and the vision that brought these cherished characters to life.  

Louisa May Alcott and the legacy of Little Women

When you are deeply invested in a story you have loved since childhood, prospects of any new adaptation can be both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. For one fan, Katherine Hepburn is the only real Jo March when another one wows on Winona Ryder´s performance. At some point, my adoration towards Little Women shifted away from the books to approach it as a cultural phenomenon and this is why I never get tired of seeing new adaptations. It was interesting to read the memories and thoughts of Little Women from Greta Gerwig and the three film producers —  Amy Pascal, Denise Di Novi and Robin Swicord (Di Novi also produced the 1994 film and Robin Swicord was one of the scriptwriters).

Some of the main criticism that the new adaptation has received (just based on the trailer) is the way it is trying to tick off all the boxes of the fourth wave of feminism. I never saw Little Women as anything else other than a feminist novel but all the same, I understand where this criticism comes from. It seems to be a trend that every single female character in any type of film these days needs to have empowering traits. Little Women, however, was written by an author who was part of the first wave of feminism and it is those past struggles and successes that have taken us to where we are today. The message of Little Women about radical acceptance is timeless. Whether Gerwig´s film is going to deliver remains to be seen. ​
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Eliza Scanlen as Beth

The women (and men) of Little Women

The part that I enjoyed most in this book was the actor interviews. Saoirse Ronan’s take on Jo having a “Peter Pan complex” is a worthwhile approach that deserves attention.

"Strength can be found in vulnerability too and opening yourself up to the feelings that you might not want to feel. Hopefully, this film will be a way for people to appreciate introverts as people who have something to say and who navigate the world in their way that´s no less important” — Eliza Scanlen
​
Eliza Scanlen´s interpretation of Beth was something I found deeply moving (Scanlen, required to be able to play the piano, returned to the instrument she had played as a child). I especially look forward to seeing her interactions with Mr. Laurence. 
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Louis Garrel’s insights on Friedrich has made me curious about the portrayal of Mr. Bhaer in this adaptation. Gender fluidity themes in the relationship between Jo and Laurie is a refreshing approach. Laura Dern´s Marmee is following the footsteps of Susan Sarandon – that of making the character more like the real-life counterpart, Abigail Alcott. 
“The book was important to me because it didn´t just highlight these four very angelic girls. It also talked about their hunger, how passionate they are to want to make something of themselves. That´s always attractive to read, whether it´s about women or men” — Florence Pugh 
​
Pugh´s performance as Amy is what I most look forward to seeing in this film. Jo´s and Amy´s relationship in the book is raw but it´s also realistic. They argue because they had similar tempers but they also fiercely love each other. In part one, Laurie in many ways works as Jo´s mirror; in part two, Amy serves a similar purpose. It will be exciting to finally see that on screen. I believe Amy is going to be the secret weapon of this movie. 

Living like the Marches

The book includes artistic and hauntingly beautiful wet plate photographs of the characters. There are recipes from the film and I am tempted to try Amy´s pickled limes.

The book includes the history of the Alcott family and Orchard House.

I found the costume design very interesting especially when it came to the girls as individuals, the shift in Laurie when he matures, and the gender fluidity of Jo and Laurie in their youth. It looks like they are borrowing each other’s clothes in the film.
​
One can only admire the skill of the prop department as individual characters are introduced with items that are important and specially made for them.
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General Impressions

​I must admit I have very mixed feelings about this movie and the accompanying book because of some of Gerwig´s statements. They have made me feel that she doesn´t understand the heart-core of the story. Nevertheless, I am sure there are elements in this film that I find enjoyable as they are in all the previous Little Women adaptations.
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Little Women 2019 (another rant bear with me)

12/5/2019

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My little women 2019 movie guide finally arrived. It is an interesting read and I do find it interesting to reflect it to the previous film adaptations I have seen. I think we are in a very unique situation. 1933,1949 and 1994 films (or rather their screen writers) were quite undecided weather Jo should end up with Laurie or Friedrich as a result we get a weird triangle (in the book there is no triangle) and Amy and Laurie are not being developed as a couple.

​Now we get Gerwig´s film which is going to develop Amy and Laurie as a couple but with Jo instead of having Fritz/Laurie debate Gerwig is more into Fritz/spinster debate. Based on everything I´v heard the film is going to be very pro JoxFritz and yet the director/screen writer seems to be rather undecided. Adaptations are going from one extremity to another. If you ask me the modern adaptation from 2018 is still the only one with clear intention to develop JoxFritz and AmyxLaurie and be truthful to the books (and actually show Jo´s and Friedrich´s mutual growth).

Is the direction of the films moving ahead? Yes, but it´s also going backwards a bit. Would it be so bad to live in a world where we could be happy with this novel and its canon pairings? I do think I know where it all comes from. There has not been enough focus on Friedrich´s and Laurie´s character arcs and their growth processes with their significant others (neither with Meg and John for that matter). Most conversations around Little Women are about Jo and only about Jo. We are just now stepping to an era where there is more focus on all other characters (other sisters and the male characters included).  Let´s make the most of it. 
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It´s passionate and very deep relationship between them

12/4/2019

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“He is from a world that she desires, the world of books and intellectuals. He is a teacher. He is from Europe, and I think she can dream about the world he comes from. Sometimes when two people meet, suddenly something happens. There is no explanation. It´s passionate and very deep relationship between them” - Louis Garrel

#This 
#He gets it
#He totally does
#Endless Fritz Bhaer appreciation
#Jo x Friedrich
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Small Umbrella In The Rain 2019

11/7/2019

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Why, thank you Greta...

FOR FINALLY SHOWING HIM
TeamBhaer, Little Women, Little Women 2019, Friedrich Bhaer, Fritz Bhaer, Jo March, Louis Garrell, Saoirse Ronan, Jo and Friedrich,
I don't think it's Mrs Kirke's Christmas Ball but I take it anyway.
TeamBhaer, Little Women, Little Women 2019, Friedrich Bhaer, Fritz Bhaer, Jo March, Louis Garrell, Saoirse Ronan, Jo and Friedrich, small umbrella in the rain,
TeamBhaer, Little Women, Little Women 2019, Friedrich Bhaer, Fritz Bhaer, Jo March, Louis Garrell, Saoirse Ronan, Jo and Friedrich, small umbrella in the rain,
SMALL UMBRELLA IN THE RAIN! SMALL UMBRELLA IN THE RAIN!!

I am totally flipping now. Based on these stills alone I think this might become my all time favorite depiction of Jo and Fritz and I read the script. Lot of things that I liked #carefullyhopeful ​
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Check out more of my Little Women meta:

Jo, Friedrich and the weekly volcano press aka what it takes to become a great writer

Jo, the adamant

Little Women 1970 Amy and Laurie Romance  
We Germans Believe in Sentiment  
​Friedrich Bhaer Aesthetics   
Equal Marriage Lost in Translation    

Little Women 2019 Trailer (Long Rant)  
Little Women 1933 
Best Jo and Fritz fanfics you´ve ever read   
Quest of Friedrich Bhaer and why my inner Jo loves him 

​​He was attractive as a genial fire 
Little Men and Tender Parenthood  
​Little Women symbolism of the umbrella  
​Thoughts on #TeamLaurie and #TeamBhaer ​
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Jo The Adamant

11/5/2019

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little women, Jo march, saoirse ronan, little women 2019, louisa may alcott
One of the most common philosophical themes in Louisa May Alcott´s work is the dislike of solipsism and/or overcoming it, denial to see full reality of other people, a highly self-centric world view. Anger is Jo´s biggest issue and yet big part of her wanting to be different unconventional tomboy stemmed out from the desire to stand out, getting attention and showing off. Jo has great qualities but her adamant nature was more than often fused by her insecurities. Laurie literally shouted at her that she doesn´t let anyone too close.

When Jo grows her world becomes larger. There are tremendous victories and heavy downfalls. There were three people who she allowed herself  to be  fully vulnerable with; Marmee, Beth and Friedrich.  Each of them accepts her strong sense of individuality and helps her to come in terms with herself. If they all have contrasting temper to Jo that is because they have learned to control it and even in Jo´s Boys where Jo is in her 50´s she admits she still struggles with her anger. 

Jo went through a great deal of growing pains while trying to find who she truly was. Is Jo March just another “not like the other girls”? Not like the other girls is about separating oneself from the girls  to get validation from the boys while at the same exalting the other girls. It is a form of solipsism. You don´t hear a boy saying “I am not like the other boys” because that is not the boys way. Teen age Jo was not like the other girls but when she is called to conform not being like other girls no longer works and she struggles to find her place. 

I talked with someone who was extremely angry the way Jo brought Daisy a toy kitchen in Little Men. When I read Little Men again recently I thought it was Jo´s best feminist moment in that book. She was mature woman not a 15 year old tomboy trying to tell all other girls around her how they should live their lives. If Daisy wants to cook let her cook. Isn´t that the same as to deny Jo not to write? or Amy not to draw? but it is less valid for Daisy to do that simply because cooking was more associated to women. It is ironic and sad how many Jo fans refuse to see that she is a character who grows, makes mistakes and learns from them.  
​
#Jo March #Identity
#Since When Feminism Meant Putting Women Down
#Four Books that span several decades character growth should be expected. 

Check out more of my Little Women meta:

Little Women 1970 Amy and Laurie Romance  
We Germans Believe in Sentiment  
​Friedrich Bhaer Aesthetics   
Equal Marriage Lost in Translation    

Little Women 2019 Trailer (Long Rant)  
Little Women 1933 
Best Jo and Fritz fanfics you´ve ever read   
Quest of Friedrich Bhaer and why my inner Jo loves him 

​​He was attractive as a genial fire 
Little Men and Tender Parenthood  
​Little Women symbolism of the umbrella  
​Thoughts on #TeamLaurie and #TeamBhaer 
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Little Women: We Germans Believe In Sentiment

10/27/2019

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Little Women, Jo and Friedrich, Fritz Bhaer, Friedrich Bhaer, Rossano Brazzi, Jo March, June Allyson, Little Women 1949
"Friedrich, why didn't you..."
"Ah, heaven, she gifs me the name that no one speaks since Minna died!" cried the Professor, pausing in a puddle to regard her with grateful delight.
"I always call you so to myself--I forgot, but I won't unless you like it."
"Like it? It is more sweet to me than I can tell. Say `thou', also, and I shall say your language is almost as beautiful as mine."
"Isn't `thou' a little sentimental?" asked Jo, privately thinking it a lovely monosyllable.

"Sentimental? Yes. Thank Gott, we Germans believe in sentiment, and keep ourselves young mit it. Your English `you' is so cold, say `thou', heart's dearest, it means so much to me," pleaded Mr. Bhaer, more like a romantic student than a grave professor.


One of the inspirations for Friedrich´s character in Little Women was the German poet Goethe. When Goethes poems are translated into English the German word “du” becomes “thou” as in old English. Louisa adored Goethe and German romanticism, philosophy and writing in general. This is why Friedrich prefers to use the word “thou” over “you”… and of course Jo loves the fact that he is from Germany. 

#Endless Friedrich Bhaer appreciation  #Louisa Knew What She Was Doing # I am not making this up
#Read any LMA Biography
#Fritz is such a romantic #Jo freaking loves it 
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Friedrich Bhaer Aesthetics

10/11/2019

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My first aesthetics board. I like all characters in Little Women but Friedrich is extra-special. There is something about him that I just can´t get enough. 
Friedrich Bhaer, little Women, Jo March, TeamBhaer, Fritz Bhaer, little women aesthetics, jo and fritz,
More articles with Little Women theme:

Little Women and Tender Masculinity Quest of Friedrich Bhaer (and why my inner Jo loves him)
Equal marriage lost in translation 
Best Jo and Fritz fan fics you´ve ever read  
​He was attractive as a genial fire   

Little Women 1970 Amy  Laurie Romance   
Thoughts on #TeamLaurie and #TeamBhaer 
Little Men and Tender Parenthood 

Little Women 1933  
​Little Women Symbolism of the Umbrella  
​Little Women 2019 Trailer (Long Rant)  
​
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Little Women: Best Jo and Friedrich Fan Fics You´v Ever Read

9/9/2019

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Here we are! List of some of the best Jo and Fritz fan fics I´v come across. I tried to list these in chronological order (hopefully the categories will help) and I shall update this list each time when I find new and wonderful Jo and Fritz fics. Enjoy!  ​
 bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
I am also making a list of the best Amy/Laurie fan fics. They are more difficult to find. If you know any good ones let me know. I hope that we will get more of them (and more jo and fritz fics as well) when the new film comes up. 
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little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Time in New York (Jo thinking of Fritz)

"Impulsive Jo almost put her arm around him right there at the desk. Only the sheer impropriety of such an action stopped her; the very idea made her cheeks burn. He glanced at her quizzically, which made her blush even worse"
Masquerade  
Mignon 
​Faithful
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Time in New York (Fritz thinking of Jo) 

"At first it was ich bin dir gut "I care for you". Then ich hab dich lieb. "I have love for you" or "I hold you dear". But he is afraid that the more he sees her, the more they speak and laugh together, the more his feelings for her are deepening past the point of no return - the point of ich liebe dich. I love you. The hardest words for a non-German to pronounce and even harder for a German to speak out loud"
Riotous times 
Magic of the girl pirates 
His favorite thing   
​The sound of silence  
​Friedrich thinks  
​How do you say 
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Courting/Falling in love

Desirable color ​ 
The cemetery  
​Sweets to the sweet ​
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Proposal 

Pondering in the rain 
​All this and heaven too 
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little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Jo and Fritz Engagement

Being blunt 
My heart ran so to thee 
​The ecstasy to guess (R-Rated)  
​Bloomed 

Wedding 

You raise me up 
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
"It’s shoddy writing to leave dialogue hanging, but instead of replying she takes hold of his collar. At the slightest tug he leans down obediently to kiss her, and when she lies back it is with the inevitability of a book falling open to a well-loved page"

Wedding Night

On the different views of love  
The Bhaer and the goose 

Wedding Night (R-Rated)

The Bridal Tour  
​Pursuing you in your transitions 
Picturelittle women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Married Life 

She is happy with new content 
A watchful heart 
Mein Professorin  
​But for the grace of god (this one is pretty interesting, point of view of Mrs. Hummel)
Picturelittle women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Married Life (R-Rated)

The double measure of time   
With gentle words, Enthralling me to thee 
Passing the time 
​For Good Ends   
Any excuse will do 
​Regular Snowmen  
Secrecy

Pregnancy/ Parenthood/ Franz & Emil/ Rob and Ted

Love in any language  
A month in the hue of this
Mein Ein Und Alles 
​Travail
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley, ian bohen, little women 2018
little women best jo and friedrich fan fics, jo and friedrich, jo march, friedrich bhaer, jo bhaer, little women 2019, teambhaer, jo and fritz, little women 1994, little women masterpiece, little women 2017, saoirse ronan, louis garrel, winona ryder, gabriel byrne, maya hawke, mark stanley

Jo and Fritz fics set in modern day 

4:AM 
Red
As unexpected as can be  
​​Mein Hertz 
Thanks to all the awesome writers and credits from most gifs I believe go to @thatvermillionflycatcher

Check out my other Little Women articles: 

Little Women and tender masculinity (Quest of Friedrich Bhaer and why my inner Jo loves him)   
​Friedrich Bhaer Aesthetics

He was attractive as a genial fire 
Little Women 1970: Amy and Laurie Romance 
Little Men and tender parenthood 

Little Women 1933 

Little Women: Equal marriage lost in translation
Little Women: Symbolism of the umbrella 
Little Women 2019 Trailer (Long Rant) 
Thoughts on #TeamLaurie and #TeamBhaer 
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Yet He Was Attractive As A Genial Fire...

9/1/2019

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"Why everybody liked him was what puzzled Jo, at first. He was neither rich nor great, young nor handsome, in no respect what is called fascinating, imposing, or brilliant, and yet he was as attractive as a genial fire, and people seemed to gather about him as naturally as about a warm hearth. He was poor, yet always appeared to be giving something away; a stranger, yet everyone was his friend; no longer young, but as happy-hearted as a boy; plain and peculiar, yet his face looked beautiful to many, and his oddities were freely forgiven for his sake. Jo often watched him, trying to discover the charm, and at last decided that it was benevolence which worked the miracle"
​
​- Little Women 1868

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Little Men: Tender Parenthood

8/4/2019

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little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, parents,
I think I was about 17 when I read Little Men for the first time. It did not make that huge impression on me as Good Wives did but I still enjoyed it as I have enjoyed all Alcott´s books. It was about 10 years ago since I had read the book last time I didn´t really remembered all the things that had happened in it. This was the first time I read the book in English and either in the past the Finnish version I read was shortened a lot or maybe I have simply grown up more as a person and more easily pick nuisances from the story since I discovered so many new things from this read. 

My old Finnish copy of Little Men sadly seems to be lost for the ages so in the spring I ordered an English version to myself. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, demi brooke, parents,
Jo and Fritz are living their juggling/traffic years since their kids are small and the school is finally doing well. I love Jo in Little Men because she is such a multi-tasker.  She runs the house, takes care about 20 kids and continues writing and Fritz supports his wive´s writing career and takes care of teaching. School is ran with feminist values and each child is treated as an individual. Mixture of boys and girls makes the gender roles more blurry and children's aspirations are supported. 

But what if aunt March would not have left Plumfield for Jo?
​
I don´t think that a life where Fritz would go to work each day to teach somewhere else and Jo would stay at home writing and hanging out with Franz and Emil would have been suitable for either one of them on a long run. Jo maybe more introverted but she needed life around her and she and Fritz also shared love for academics.  Jo´s nature also needed challenges and those became inspirations to her stories. Definitely Plumfield would have become reality one way or another.
Jo and Fritz would have stayed in Concord close to Jo´s family and saved money for that. Fritz would have worked as a teacher in a local school and Jo would have continued writing and if necessary she would have taken another job as well (Louisa May Alcott did work as a teacher and as a nurse at one point). 
​
When I read Little Men for the first time my favourite character was actually Nat. It was probably because Little Men is told from perspective of three people; Jo, Fritz and Nat but now that I read the book again I still cared about him but he wasn´t my focus and I came to the realisation that the reason why I used to love Nat back in the days was the same reason why I used to like young Laurie much more when I was 12 when I read Little Women for the first time. It was some kind of mixture of pity and maternal feelings because they were both orphans who liked to play music and had had a hard life. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, demi brooke, parents,
When I re-read Little Women some years later my take on Laurie was completely different because young Laurie can be great but he can also be very irritating. Nat was never as intrusive as Laurie was but Nat was bit like Pinocchio in Collodi´s fairy-tale. When there came times when he had to choose the right from wrong Nat would often choose the wrong even when he knew that it was wrong. Luckily the more time he spends in Plumfield he starts to see how self-harming that kind of behaviour can be.
​Little Rob became my new favourite character. He is freaking adorable and I love that he is a chatterbox. Mini-Friedrich who inherited his fathers optimistic life attitude and Jo´s curious nature. Little Men also introduced the character of Dan and I found his relationship with Jo really interesting because they are very similar. Both are observers. Another reference to tender masculinity is Little Ted´s affection to Dan. Dan is more quiet, more of a grumpy teen-ager and at least in the beginning he tries very hard to hide his vulnerability and it is with his interactions with Ted when his kind nature comes out and that is the quality in him that Jo and Fritz wish to support. Dan and Nat also become very good friends and Nat is extremely sensitive. I think he might even be hsp (which is probably why I still relate myself to him) for Nat it is difficult to censor or hide his emotions. Another famous highly sensitive person in Little Women universe is of course Beth. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, demi brooke, parents,
I would imagine young Daisy to look something like this
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, demi brooke, parents,
and Bess to look something like this
​Daisy has not changed a bit from the way she was in Good Wives. She is very similar to her mother and Daisy is a very active character. She makes things happen. Amy´s and Laurie´s daughter Bess is as pretty as her parents but she is so young she doesn´t really have a developed personality yet but she is as graceful as her mother
​During the years between Good Wives and Little Men Amy suffered multiple miscarriages, which must have had it´s effect on Laurie as well. Yet because these are children´s books there is no deeper explorations to the characters emotional world of what it is like to loose a child but if the "children book" was not the structure of the book and Louisa would have had more liberties  I believe many would have different views on Amy and Laurie. Imagine how it would be like to be part of as tight-knit family as Bhaers-Brooks-Marches-Lawrences are and to see your sisters and your friends becoming mothers and fathers. If I remember right Meg and John were married about 2 years before Meg got pregnant and Jo and Fritz after the first year. 
​As much as I love Little Men my biggest criticism is that there isn´t enough Amy in it. I recently found out that Louisa´s sister May Alcott who was the main inspiration for Amy´s character asked Louisa not to write that much about Amy because she was constantly bombarded by both Amy lovers and Amy haters and that distracted her own artistic work. Little Men is a great book but it is unbalanced because there isn´t so much Amy yet May´s request for Louisa not to write so much about Amy was completely valid. 

Good Wives is one of my favourite books of all time and Laurie is a complete mess in it and Amy is the only person who gets through him (and the only one who he listens). In this house we stand for Amy March. Especially during his party boy phase Laurie was in many ways very selfish character and largely thanks to the positive influence from Amy he starts to take responsibility from himself for the very first time. There were years that were very hard on both Laurie and Amy because of their struggles of having a child so in Little Men when Laurie does help with some of the students (mainly with Nat´s music) he has gotten into the same level as John Brooke and Friedrich, Who in the terms of Little Women were the only two male characters that were always able to look after themselves and other people.  Because of the losses that he and Amy have gone through he does not take children for granted and the philanthropist work that he and Amy do gives him the feeling of purpose which is something that Laurie was lacking for the most part in his youth. I love both Amy´s and Laurie´s interactions with their daughter.

​Then there is the parallels between Beth and Bess. Beth was described as an angel child and after multiple miscarriages when Amy finally gives birth to a baby girl it´s a blessing and they named her after her angelic aunt. It also parallels with Laurie´s journey the way it took forever for him to come in terms with himself and finally getting a family of his own. There is a scene in Jo´s boys where Emil gives Amy a necklace with Madonna and a child and tells how it reminded him of the time of Bess birth which highlights all of that. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, amy and laurie, jo and friedrich, demi brooke, parents,
If you are a fellow Amy/Laurie fan check the 1970 BBC adaptation it´s the most accurate  screen adaptation of their relationship.
​There was a small scene that I think speaks a great deal. After the death of John Brooke Fritz talks to Demi and the boys about John and tells how both he and Laurie looked up to him when they became parents. This an interaction that I would have loved to read more about and when I think of my uncomforts with Laurie´s character is that the Hollywood portrayal of him is 100 % inaccurate. After my least read of Jo´s boys I realised how perfectly Laurie and Amy are mirroring Nat and Daisy. Both Meg and Jo are worried that Nat because he is so very effeminate and sensitive can´t provide for Daisy but then Jo also thinks that Nat would need a strong woman like Daisy to bring him back to reality. This is exactly what happened with Jo and Laurie. Because Laurie was sensitive, very unaware of his own privileged position and constantly drifting without a direction first Jo wished that Meg would marry him, then she wished that Beth would marry him and then she thought that Laurie and Amy would make a great couple and they did since Amy was the only one who Laurie actually listened. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, amy and laurie, jo and friedrich, demi brooke, parents,
Laurie and Amy 2019 I am nervous and exited to see them
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, amy and laurie, jo and friedrich, demi brooke, parents,
​My Little Women marathon is still continuing and I must say I have become more critical towards Hollywood´s adaptive attractiveness. Laurie in the books is very delicate and effeminate and Jo has more "masculine" features and she has very masculine trajectory. Of course she loves Laurie as a brother but she is not attracted to him because he has such "effiminate" looks but then she is really fixated on Fritz since he has such clear "masculine" looks. I always found it cute and quite funny how obviously thirsty she is for him in New York and he is completely unaware of it. Films in many ways ignore this by hiring more masculine/handsome Lauries, feminine Jo´s and tones down Jo´s "masculinity" but it´s Hollywood and the gender fluidly has become more understood subject just more recently. This is also why it is very difficult to turn Little Women into screen like the way it is in the books. 
Gender fluidly continues in the character of Nan who is a tomboy and someone who Jo sees herself in. Nan is delightful and her desire to become a nurse is supported by everyone. There are so many characters in this book I am probably forgetting some of them. I absolutely love the relationship between Jo and Franz. Franz´s brother Emil is more hot-heated but Franz is more mild-tempered like his uncle and he wants to become a teacher and I am pretty convinced that Franz was Jo´s favorite because he was so much like Fritz. Because Fritz was the one who raised his nephews he is much more than just an uncle but somewhere between an uncle and a father. When Jo and Fritz marry Jo became the boys aunt but for Franz she is more of a mother and  I can´t really think of a better step-mom for Emil than Jo since Jo also knew how to be strict if needed. You don´t really see it that that much in Little Men but definitely in Jo´s boys  where the Bhaers-Marches-Lawrences-Brookes all become together as a community to raise children. 
The lesson that I took from this book is that Little Women is about childhood and the beginning in the terms of shaping ones identity, Good Wives is about entering to the world of adulthood and finding meaningful work and true love (and learning to love oneself as well), Little Men is largely about parenthood and like all Little Women books it constantly breaks the 19th century gender stereotypes. 

I think that having children and becoming a mother did frighten Jo since she was so used to her autonomy and I think (no one can ever change my mind about this) Louisa was a genius when she gave Jo a partner who was as found of kids as Jo was but who also had experience raising them. Fritz is a very attentive parent. In Little Men he is always holding little Ted or he is playing with Rob. Jo does manage to combine love, family and career but person like Jo can only do that when she is with a partner like Fritz who tells her to slow down if she is going too fast and who believes in her and gives her confidence to be herself. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, amy and laurie, jo and friedrich, demi brooke, parents,
In Good Wives there is a scene where Fritz is wondering what it would be like to be in a relationship with Jo and start a family with her. Sadly it is Friedrich´s love for children what is used against him when people criticise his character and it is ignored how much Jo actually loves children in the books, boys especially.   Men can dream about having a family as much as women. We should not take the scene out of it´s context. It happens when Fritz is feeling rather lonely and is missing his home country and even though he has friends in New York he is an outsider and what are the odds?  he meets Jo (who has always felt herself as an outsider) and falls in love with her and she is very found of him and in the book Jo is also much more interested of the doings of Franz and Emil than her two female charges Kittie and Minny which once again shows Jo´s love and affection towards male over female and there is a scene in Little Men where Jo wants to cheer up Daisy and she is thinking to herself how in the house that is filled with boys the only girl is sometimes the most difficult to please which shows how hard it sometimes still is for Jo to understand the world of the feminine. But Jo loves Daisy and the adult Jo who has grown out from the teen age-Jo who scoffed and made fun of the more feminine girls let´s Daisy to be herself and supports her in terms of finding her own identity. 

​I love everything about the way Louisa describes Jo´s and Fritz´s marriage in Little Men but then again I am one of those who in general love the way Louisa writes about love and romance was it then Fritz thinking what an amazing woman Jo is and how lucky he is and Jo always feeling her neurotic all over the place nature calming down when he is there or Amy and Laurie rowing the same both together enjoying each others company or Meg and John happily getting married in the most tupsy-turvey wedding. 
little women, jo march, friedrich bhaer, little men, louisa may alcott, parenthood, john brooke, laurie, amy march, theodore lawrence, nat, dan, motherhood, plumfield, meg march, daisy brooke, amy and laurie, jo and friedrich, demi brooke, parents,
I might be the only person in the world who has come into this conclusion but ever since I read Little Men for the first time I´v believed that John Brooke was Friedrich´s best friend in Concord. Both Fritz and Jo are really upset when John dies since they both liked him a lot and there is a scene where Jo is comforting Fritz and it is said that they were good friends. In many ways it makes perfect sense. John was very kind and sweet man but also a bit shy and many times more introverted people enjoy the company of more extroverted people like Fritz (Jo and Fritz are also a good example of this but I see Jo more as an ambivert than an introvert) John also spoke German and in many ways he and Fritz had similar values; strong work ethics, both had worked as teachers, they were close to each others age.  It is Victorian bromance and I am totally shipping it. 
​
But my favorite part in this book is the fact that Jo and Fritz have a dog called Christopher Columbus. 
Check out my other Little Women articles:

Little Women: Symbolism of the umbrella
Little Women: Equal Marriage Lost in Translation
Quest of Friedrich Bhaer, Tender Masculinity in Little Women 
​Little Women 1970 Amy and Laurie Romance  

​Little Women 1933 
Thoughts on #TeamLaurie and #TeamBhaer 
Little Women 2019 Trailer (Long Rant) 
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    Niina

    Pronounced as Nee-na.
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    Artist, illustrator, writer and a folklorist. Gryffinclaw. Comes from Finland. Likes cats, tea and period dramas. 
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